Love Is In The Air
by zoteria
Summary: Gaara got a letter asking for help from a person of his past he couldn't remember, but is ready to go and aid them with what he could. To his surprise he encounter with old childhood friend he didn't remember but want to know nerveless and start to feel strange toward her. But not everything is a path of roses, there is danger lurking in the shadows ready to destroy his happyness


**This is one of my first Ffc of Naruto, so please be kind!**

 **Also English is not my first language, and I don't have a Beta... so all the mistakes are mine D:**

 **So... this is half a year after the events in Naruto: The Last the movie. So there WILL be spoilers here!** **I hope yours Reviews! Please Don't shoot me for this!**

 **The couples are the next:**

 **S. Gaara x OC**

 **U. Naruto x H. Hinata**

 **U. Sasuke x H. Sakura**

 **Sai x Y. Ino**

 **I. Kiba x H. Hanabi**

 **N. Shikamaru x S. Temari**

 **Declaimer: I own nothing! If I did Hyuuga Neji would be mine and wouln't have Die! Q_Q All belongs to Masashi Kishimoto**

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 **Chapter 1**

The wind was blowing slowly in that late evening when the knock came. The person behind the close door, turn his attention from the sack of papers in the desk to the door, his blank face show a little curiosity and with a low voice command the person to enter. A man with half of his face cover with a cloth enters making a bow out of respect to the young man sitting behind the desk.

"Kazekage-sama" the man said his face totally serious.

"Baki" the young man said, nodding his head in acknowledged. "What's the matter?"

"I have received a letter requesting a favor" he informs him talking out a little scroll from his robes.

"A favor? Of what sort?" inquired the red head, putting his pen and paper to the side, giving him his full attention.

"An escort" his voice was serious, but there was something in his eye that makes the redhead more curious.

Usually the scroll for missions arrives directly at the Kazekage Tower, not to the ninjas or anyone else for that matter. The young man of nineteen years old with red hair, fair skin and aquamarine eyes with a tattoo in his forehead was curious about this scroll and petition. After the Four Shinobi War, two and a half years ago, the word has been in peace, except for the moon incident six months ago with Uzumaki Naruto and company, nothing really bad have happen. The missions were still active same as the shinobis and kunoichis, but the high ranked missions were that often given.

"From what village this came from?" He asks, extending his hand to receive the scroll which Baki gives him diligently. He furrow slightly his brow seeing no symbol from any of the four other village, but a gold circle with a rare desert rose with five points petals white, and red. "What where is this? This is a symbol from typical from the desert" he state not opening the scroll yet, but eyeing Baki critically.

"Yes, is indeed a symbol from a desert from the sand… " He sigh, then turn to watch the wide window with a strange feeling in his eye. "My family symbol"

"I thought that your family has died years ago" Comment the young Kazekage. Looking at his old sensei curiously.

"They did. Most of them anyway" He said. He step closer to his old protégé and student and look him in the eye very serious and stern. "What am about to tell you, Kazekage-sama… no, Gaara-san is to be keep secret and no be reveal to anyone not even the elders must know" by the form of requesting it, the redhead knew that more than to a superior Baki was asking it as a personal favor.

The young man sigh and thought about it, he was the Kazekage and as such, his first task was to protect the village and people living there, a task that he take very seriously. But Baki was one of the few people that he trust fully and he own him much of what he knows.

"I want you to know that if this information in anyway put in danger the village I would take any means that takes to act and protect it, even if that's mean tell about what you told me regarding this matter" Gaara want to let him know his position first, because under no circumstance he will endanger the people, but… he sigh, then. "But if this is not the case, I personally will see that this information doesn't go out in public"

Baki nod, understanding.

"I understand, but I myself am not totally sure if this will endanger Suna at all or not" He was totally serious but he need to fulfill the promise he and the fourth Kazekage's wife made to that person, and this was the best way to do so. "Am I in liberty to talk then?"

"You are" was all the young man said.

"Thirty years ago, my family was slaughter by a group of rogue outsiders' ninjas, from the Sound Village, they thought that they have kill everyone, but like you know it wasn't truth. I and another person survive but the Kazekage at that time decide to not let that fact know for fear of the rogue ninja to come back and finished the job" He made a stop and take a breath before continue. "So we were put with a family with no children of their own. Me and my little sister Yayoi, who was just one year older than me"

Baki walk around the office a little, lost in his own memories and story, while Gaara observe him patiently.

"Time went by and we adjust to our new lives, and she became best friend with another girl of the village, a sweet and kindhearted girl of her own age, named Karura"

Gaara's eyes open slightly in surprise. Baki seeing his reaction nodded and then confirmed his thoughts.

"Yes, your mother… they were like sisters, always going everywhere together, when your mother marry your father Yayoi attend the wedding, same as Temari and Kankuro's births… your father and her didn't get along very well, but manage because both love Karura deeply" he pause and stare outside the window again, the sun was completely hidden and the moon was just getting out. "A bit after Kankuro was born, Yayoi meet a man, an outsider, he was from a group of people who travel around the world, rurounis without a village, but they weren't ninjas just normal people, artisans mostly, who stops in for time to time in the bigger villages to sell they're ware and stuff they made" His voice was a bit harsh when he mention the man, but other than that he give nothing against the people who said man came from. "They fell in love, and when the time came for him to leave with the tribe he ask her to come with them, and he agreed. Yayoi and Karura were nearly broken by the goodbye, but your mother understood that her best friend was in love and to be with that man she must leave her home village, they keep in touch nerveless and Karura made her promise that should anything happen my sister would come and ask for help, and it should be granted… and when your father decide to implant the Shukaku spirit inside your while your mother was pregnant of you, Yayoi came back the faster she could, with her new husband, Yakumo"

The redhead was following his every word with rap attention, they never have mention the siblings mother before, and so any story about her was of interest for the young man that never knew his death mother.

"Yayoi was outrage with your father for what he was planning to do, she swear never forgive him if he continue with his plans and something happened with Karura or the baby. But no matter what she tries your father never changes his mind and he conduce the input of Shukaku in his pregnant wife when she was four month carrying you… Yayoi and her husband stay in Suna the rest of Karura pregnancy, helping her through the hard task, and she named my sister your unofficial Godmother… Yayoi was heartbroken when Karura die after giving birth to you; she and your father were present and if she has been a kunoichi your father probably would have gain some awful injuries for what in his greed have done, she really wanted to kill him"

The young man in the chair was awestruck, wondering why nobody has ever told him about that woman that was obviously important in his mother life.

"Yayoi wanted to take you and your siblings with her, but alas your father wouldn't allow it, and forbid her to ever put her presences in Suna while he lives if she ever try or say something of the sort again. That only fuel the new hatred toward your father, and she went away without a goodbye" he pause and turn to the redhead, in the visible part in his face you could see the lines of old memories of suffering and sadness. "But she always was a stubborn girl when of the people she love were involve, so a few months went by and she came back hidden, she came to me and beg me to help her get to Yashamaru, just to see you again, you and your siblings, you were only three months old back then"

"Why she stop coming?" For the first time since the story start, Gaara spoke. Baki made a hurt face, but rapidly hide his emotions again.

"Patience, there's more to tell… The second time she came you were six months old, and she was pregnant with her first child, Yayoi have a soft spot for Karura's children, you specially but she couldn't continue to visit you every few months because her own child would be born and it could put her in danger, so Yakumo forbid her to come for a time" His face was expressionless. "One year and a half pass without she coming to Suna, but she always send me or Yashamaru letters, wondering who you and your siblings were doing… the next time she came around, she bring her child with her, a little girl one year younger than you"

Baki stop talking, pacing the room for a few minutes, the atmosphere was fraught with tension coming in vibes from the jounin.

"This continues to happen until you were four years old. She always came with her child and you two plays together for the few days she stays with Yashamaru… her travels lessened after the first time she came after giving birth, until it was twice a year, and then once a year… until she came no more, later news arrives to the village that the group of people that travels around have been slaughtered by rogue ninjas in their way to Kumogakuren… it says they kill them all, no survivors, old, woman and children, all dead" his eye close lost in his own memories, the sadness and rage that he once feel. He opens his eye after a few minutes, connecting his dark glance with the bright one of the redhead. "I too thought that she and my nieces have die year ago. But after the fiasco with Orochimaru and the attack at Konoha, I receive a letter with the same symbol, it was Yayoi's writhing, saying that she was sorry for not begin in contact but after the attack year prior to the group that have become her family she and her daughter hide with the survivors, afraid they would come back, she didn't tell me why that happen, just say sorry and that for protection they would keep in hidden and since then once a year she send me a letter to let me know that they're okay" He finish his tale.

There was silence for a few minutes, while the redhead digested all the information given by his old sensei, about part of his past, about someone who love him even since before begin born that haven been driven away from him by rogue ninjas at a young age… but in his mind there was something that he didn't understand.

"Why she never contacts me after she sends you that first letter after the incident?" asks the redhead.

"I'm sorry. I do not know… I have no answer for that" Baki shake his head sighing, before signaling the scroll. "This has just arrives… with another letter asking me for a favor" He take out another paper, a letter with the same symbol, and pass it to him. "You can read it, I don't mind"

Gaara toke the letter and open it.

* _Brother… I wish I could start this letters like the others with a happy memory of my sweet girl, but alas is not the case…._

 _I am in need of a favor of yours, I cannot tell you with details why is it but I would like to request help of an escort to travel from my current location to the original place from where Yakumo's ancestor came from… Is a risky and dangerous travel and I had no wish to loss another member of my family again…_

 _The tribe is coming we us… approximately one hundred and sixty persons are traveling with us, counting children and elderly and we are not prepare for a possible battle, but Yoru, the leader of the tribe refuse to seek help from anyone…_

 _If not for the sake of me, your sister, please I beg you… think in your nieces, she is still young and have much for what to live… we cannot delay the travel much more, we are starting the preparations and in one month starting from now we will be moving across land…_

 _Please send an answer soon… If is a negative, I will understand and I bear no ill will against you, nor against Gaara, after all he doesn't know me anymore…_

 _I hope that you and all Karuras children good fortune and to have a happy life…_

 _Love, Yayoi_ *

Gaara put the letter in the desk and observe the scroll unopen. After a few minutes, he toke it and broke the seal, unroll it and start reading, it was the same writing, requesting formally an escort to the Kazekage, to send whoever ninja he consider adequate for the task. If accepted, it asked to please send the escort as soon as possible.

"Gaara-san…" Baki start speaking.

"I'll do it" The redhead said in a tone of finality looking at his old sensei.

"Are you going to help her? If that so, then allow me to…" Baki again try to talk but like before was outspoken by the young man.

"No" Seeing his confuses face, Gaara clarified. "Yes, I will send the escort, but it is I who is going to do it" he watch the other man in the eye, willing him to accept and say no more.

"But why about the village…?"

"I'll let Temari and Kankuro in charge while I not here, beside you and my brother and sister, there will be no other to know where I'm heading to, understood?" He watch him until Baki nodde his head. "Excellent. Bring me Kankuro and Temari"

"One more thing… It would be prudent if you take an escort for your own safety, Kazekage-sama" Baki would under no circumstance allow the young man to travel alone, not even in pace times.

Gaara sigh, knowing that Baki wouldn't back down from that, he thought for a moment and the said.

"I send message to Konoha requesting a group to come with me, is that fine with you?" He asks the older man, when he nodded, he continue. "Now bring me Temari and Kankuro, we have no time to waste"

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The very next day at dawn Sabaku No Gaara was standing at the entrance of Suna, with his two siblings and Baki.

"Are you going to be okay?" Temari asks, looking at her younger brother with concern it didn't matter that he was the strongest of all in Suna and the Kazekage, she still worry about him.

"Yes, beside I'll be with them" Was the entire redhead said, before start to head to the point of encounter with the Konoha Shinobis.

By noon time, Gaara have arrived at the borders where the sand connects with forest. He was wearing his typical dark red robes, with his grey trousers, the gourd and the distinctive hat of the Kazekage tied to the last one. A few more minutes and he reach the clearing where they were supposed to meet with the ninjas send for Hatake Kakashi, the new Hokage. He stops search the place, confirming that nobody has follow him until now, then lean on one of the trees nearby and prepare to wait for the shinobis to arrive.

He didn't have to wait much, barely half an hour later a very loud voice disrupt his thoughts.

"Gaara!"

The named open his eyes and saw no other than Uzumaki Naruto in front of him, smiling broadly at him. Behind him came a female with pink hair and emerald eyes, and girl with black blue hair and pearl eyes like the moon, and no much behind a pale guy dress in black, with very pale skin and black hair.

"Naruto, you moron! Don't run ahead like that!" Haruno Sakura, the girl with pink hair screams at the blond guy.

"Mou Sakura-chan you don't have to be that loud!" Naruto, a blond with blue eyes told the girl, then turn again to the redhead guy. "So, Kakashi-sensei told us that you were in need of an escort to go somewhere but he didn't say where that is… Is something the matter, Gaara?" Now the face and tone of voice of the blond were serious, all business.

"Yes, we are going to the border between the Land of Earth and Amegakure, there must be a little congregation of a tribe, our job is escort them all to place, an old village that is placed between Takigakure and Otogakure" The redhead inform them signaling the map in the floor to everyone to see, while with the finger follow the lines to show the travel that they will do until the very end.

"Wait… isn't that place near Mountains Graveyard?" Ask Sakura eyeing critically the map.

"Yes, that's what it look like… " mutters Hyuuga Hinata, the heir of the Hyuuga clan her attention in the map too.

"So… why are you escorting these people to that place? Usually you'll appoint someone to do that… why do it yourself?" Naruto asks, looking at his longtime friend, something was very strange there.

Gaara close his eyes; turn to where they will be heading, before answering.

"There is a person in that tribe that has information about my mother and… this is in part a debt that my family had and a retribution for somethings my father did… Is my duty to amend the bond torn by my father" His voice was toneless, but when he opens his eyes, they all could see the determination.

"Yosh! Let's go then!" Naruto yell, smirking.

"They know we are coming?" Sai, the other guy in the group ask after a few minutes of the travel has start.

"Yes" was all that the young redhead said. "By the time we have arrive there, the person I send the letter must have told the tribe of our arrival"

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A woman of not more than forty year old, with light brown hair and dark eyes, stare at the letter in her hand, her heart was beating so fast and hard that she for a second fear to be having a heart attack. The response was clean and short.

* _We are on the way; expect us in eight days from this moment._

 _Godaime Kazekage, Sabaku No Gaara._ *

Her hands trembled and her eyes became damp with unleash tears. He was coming… her Godson, the younger son of her long time lost best friend and sister of her heart… _Gaara_ was coming in person to aid them.

"Oka-sama? Are you okay? I something wrong?" a quiet voice speak from behind the woman holding the letter.

Yayoi put the letter down and turn to her young daughter who was watching her with a bit of confusion in her dark eyes like hers. The light hair woman shakes her head and motions her girl to come closer.

"Remember that I told you that if you wish with all your heart your wish will come true?" the young female just nod looking at her mother strangely. "Well… it looks like mine have come true… Suna is coming right now to aid us in the travel to your fathers' ancestor place"

The girl looks with wide eyes at her mother, then smiles and hugs her.

"Am so happy for you, Oka-sama! You finally will see someone from your home village!" She exclaims, and then smiles shyly. "You think that I will be finally meeting uncle Baki?"

"I don't know dear… but Chiaki… _he_ is coming" she whisper with bright eyes, and a gently smile in her lips.

Chiaki look at her mother quietly, and then hug her fiercely. She more than anyone knew how hear broken her mother have been for not begin able to see the children of her decease childhood friend, moreover the younger of the three, Yayoi had always keep close to her heart, like if he were the boy she never could have… and her only wish after her fathers' death was to see him.

"When are they arriving?" she inquires picking up the buck of water that she previously had to wash the dishes.

"In eight days starting from today!" Yayoi smile broadly at her, waving the letter in her hand. "We have to clean the house the better we can and the go collet some flowers and make a flower crown like when you two were little…!"

"O-oka-sama… don't you think that's too much? He a year older than I, and am eighteen now, he isn't a child anymore, ne?" Chiaki comment kindly.

"Nonsenses! I'll do it anyway!" Yayoi was stubborn when she wanted.

"When are you telling Hideki-dono about it? You know he doesn't like outsiders, and he kinda hate shinobis… " Chiaki made a grimace at the mention of the chief. She had never liked him much, but so far he had succeeds in hide them from their slayers.

Yayoi became serious, contemplating about that matter. She had done something without the consult and approve of the tribe chief, but half the council and people were with her in the matter of protection with the travel so she wasn't that worry about that, but it was better to inform him previous to the arrival so he have gotten time to cool off a bit.

"I'll tell him at the meeting this evening, don't worry about that" Yayoi commented, and then start to look around and see what to clean to the arrival of the child of her lost friend. "Gaara, I hope your arrive soon"

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It was starting to be evening when they finally saw in the distances a little group of house very much looking like those in Suna, but more rustic and with chimney. They were standing in a cliff above them and a bit far away.

"This is it, this must be… the coordinates aren't wrong" mutter Sakura checking everything twice just to be sure. After all Gaara have let them know that the mission was secret.

"Hitana-san, could you find the nearby house to us?" Gaara told the Hyuuga girl, his eyes never leaving the little village.

"Byakugan!" she did a quick search with her kekkei Genkai, and finally point to a place. "There, there is a small house near the a few trees… the nearer to the entrance"

"Thanks" was all he answers, and then starts descending the cliff, followed by the others, with the Hyuuga heiress checking the place to see if there wasn't any tramp, when none were confirmed she let go of the technique.

They were nearing the house when all of a sudden they encounter in the way a woman picking flowers nearby in a basket. She look startled by them, she was thin and have light brown hair with dark brown eyes, who in the instant the found the redhead boy opened wide and her hands tremble a little, letting the basket with flowers fall to the ground spilling the content everywhere. She put her hands to her mouth, looking like if she were seen a ghost.

"Hey, obaa-chan don't get alarm, we aren't going to hurt you, okey?" Naruto said mistaken the reaction to the woman for fear. But the lady didn't aver her eyes from the young redhead.

"G-Gaara-chan…? I-is that you?" she whisper, barely loud for them to hear.

Gaara observe the woman curiously, feeling vaguely like he has seen her before, like in a dream of some sort. She looks vaguely familiar but he could recall her at all, his first years of life weren't that clear in his mind. He toke a few steps toward her until he was in front of her, eyes locket with one another. His curious and hers watery, with an emotion he recognize as yearning and some other emotion he has seen mothers look at their children's when he was little. But nobody has ever looks at him like that.

"Are you Yayoi? Baki's sister and… my mother best friend?" He inquires calmly.

Her reaction surprises him greatly. Instead of answering his question, she put her arms around his shoulders in a strong hug, while she let some tears drop from her eyes; it make him feel something strange in his heart, that was almost the same feeling when his father told him about his mother love in the Fourth Shinobi War, two and a half years ago. But she let go too soon for him to analyze what that was.

"I'm sorry… it must be shock that a strange woman hug you like that" she remove a few tears from her face, and smile kindly at him, with a warm light in her dark eyes. "The last time I saw you… you were reaching my knee and still call me 'aunty Yoi'"

"Yes, it is I" was all he said, totally confuse not knowing what to do or say in the first time since he was a child trying to make friend with the other kids.

The two of them hear a loud sniff coming from behind the redhead, and turn curiously to see Naruto tearing up, looking at them.

"That was… so heartwarming! This kind of reunion is something… way to go Gaara!" Naruto smile watery, drying his eyes.

"Naruto, really…" mutter Sakura rolling her eyes. But she could admit that the reunion has indeed been moving.

"Are those your friends, Gaara-chan?" Yayoi asks looking between the redhead and the group.

"Ha, these are my friends from Konoha" he said nodding to them, somewhat relieve that the focus wasn't on him anymore.

"Konoha?" she only sound and look curious.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, nice to meet you, Dattebayo!" the blond said smirking. Then point to the dark hair girl beside him. "This is Hinata-chan, my future wife!" the named turn a bit red, but smile to her nonetheless.

"I'm Haruno Sakura, nice to meet you, Yayoi-san" the pink hair girl said formally and smile.

"I'm Sai, nice to meet you" He smile to her.

"I'm Yayoi, originally from Sunagakuren, now I'm living with Daiki tribe" she formally introduces herself, then turns to the boy in front of her, and smiles. "Would you like to come into my house, we can talk more over there"

In a few minutes she was in front of her house, and invited them in. The place was small but comfy.

"Could you tell us something about why they are moving to that place?" Sai asks the first question, seeing that nobody since entering the house has said anything.

Yayoi look out the window were her chair was and then sigh, before looking at them.

"First I have to tell you about the origins of this tribe… please keep in mind that what am about to tell you could very well end our lives" when all of them nod, she continue. "My late husband came from a large tribe of people whom were connected to the nature; they keep the balance of the four cardinals' points in this world… they could feel the natures through this ability of theirs, so since long ago their begin to monitor the flow, and when there was a disturbance in the flow the person with the strong connection would go through a ritual of sort to regain the balance… the last time that it was a rupture and there was no person to regain the control… the lands suffer from great disasters"

"What type of disasters are we talking about?" Sakura inquire curious.

"The plants started to die, river to dry, the land start to shake more and more until village start to crumble… so that's why every once in a while, there is a chosen one from the tribe to help keep the balance and avoid the destruction, it usually is someone with who has a especial kind of chakra that can synchronize with the flow perfectly" she sigh and rub her hands, standing and start pacing the small room. "A few months ago, our seer and many other, mostly children and elderly start having strange episodes of illness… then in the fourth day of this, the seer came to the tribe and said to us that the balance was broken long time ago and the flow was starting to diverge and change… and the weaker were starting to feel the consequences of it"

Everyone has a string face and was listening to her very carefully. This was much more complicated than they have thought.

"What about the people that is after the tribe?" Hinata spoke preoccupied.

Yayoi grimace and her face went a bit pale.

"They are the clan Yamimaru… they desire the tribes power to control the flow, so many year ago they attack the original city were the altar is, and massacred almost everyone, with just a few group escaping… they couldn't come back to the village, so they became a travelers tribe, moving from place to place and never staying much time in a place" she sits down again, her hands in her lap. "ten years ago, we were living far from here, and one night there was an attack, it was the second in years to happen, and my husband and some others went to battle the enemies while the woman, children and elderly escape to somewhere safe… there were few who came back, Yakumo wasn't between these few, they kill my husband and some other, and so the actual chief decided to move again and move we did, since then we don't spend more than four years in the same site"

There was a silence of a few minutes, and then Sai speaks again.

"How they know who to choose? Do they manifest this strange chakra since little?"

"No" she shakes her head. "There is some kind of ceremony that is made, it lasted four days" she contend with her fingers. "There is this object that is connected to their ancestors' birth place and when the person touches it, it glows. The elderly go first, one by one they go if the sphere doesn't shine, and it come the next until they found the right one. And so it goes, after they came the middle age, like me, if no one is chosen again, it keeps going, the next one are the younger and then then children, until the one appear"

"Have they found yet the right one?" Naruto asks curious.

"No, tomorrow is the young turns… I admit that I am a bit preoccupied about Chiaki" Yayoi grimace again, playing with her hands a bit.

"Why? If this is like that and in a time hasn't been these problems then there is a hundred to one percent that the right one would be her, right?" Sakura, summaries.

"It would be more than that, her father had that especial chakra, he discovers it by accident when he was a child and he and his elder brother were playing in the seer's tent age ago" she mutters rubbing her forehead worry.

"What is this ritual you talk about?" Now was Gaara who spoke for the first time.

"I'm not entirely sure, it is some kind of dance of sort that the person does in the altar to pacify the flow, while holding a Sakaki branch" she answers sighing.

"Is this dangerous for the person?" Sakura inquires.

"It really depends in what condition the flow is… if it isn't much damage the person just gets tired in the end, and a night of sleep and some food will suffice. But if that's not the case" She pause before saying. "It kills them"

There was a heavy silence that was disrupted by a loud voice of a girl walking through the door.

"Oka-sama did you get the flowers you were talking about all these days? I got all the branches for the fire of tonight, Chi-oba-sama asks me to go this night to her house she isn't feeling… well… " Chiaki that was entering by the door holding a few large wooden branches and looking at the floor trying to hold them all didn't see the that her mother has visit until she turns around and stood there wide eye, looking at them watch her curiously.

The young girl went red in the cheeks, drop the branches, just like her mother did back then with the basket and turn around wordlessly and run out the house like she were followed by rogue ninjas. There was a silence in the room before Yayoi start laugh hard, tears roll down her cheeks because of her mirth.

"I'm sorry… " She breath, trying to compose herself seeing their strange stares. "She is a shy girl, and rarely speaks with anyone of her own age… she did the same when I introduce her to Gaara-chan for the third time when she was three years old, she has forgotten about him then… she was such a forgetful child… I think she still is; I'm mostly sure that she forgot that you were arriving today" Yayoi smile at them.

"Will she be alright?" Hinata asks with a smile, she had already a soft spot for the girl.

"Oh, yes, she probably went to Chi-sama's house, she'll be back later, much later, when her embarrassment has lessened and can look at you in the face without running away again" the woman smirk and chuckled a bit. "She was just surprise"

"Well we better go and look around before is too dark" Sakura said standing, motioning for Naruto, Hinata and Sai to go with her. "This is a mission after all"

"We will meet here in half an hour" Naruto states, before giving Gaara a smile and nod, then all of them were gone.

There was a silence in the room, but it wasn't heavy… then the redhead spoke.

"Did I ever hurt her?" he mutters with a blank expression in his face.

Yayoi looks at him, her face serious and with sad eyes. She shakes her head no.

"The last time you two were in the same room you were five years old, and she was four, you mostly play in the sand, making figures and sand castles" she smiles remembering those times. "There was a time when she wanted to climb one of those toys in the park, you two were playing with a ball previously, and she saw the big toy and went for it, it wasn't safe, but she did it anyway. She climb and fell, she her knee started to bleed, you were scare to death for her" Yayoi look him in the eye, very serious. "You carry her to where Yashamaru and I were, and start crying saying it was your fault she was hurt" she shake her head and continue. "Because you didn't stop her, and then she was hurt. But Yashamaru and I saw all… Gaara-chan" she calls him, willing him to look at her when he turns to look away from her, dejected. When he did she continues. "You didn't notice because of the fear but from the place she fell it could have really harm her where she hit the floor like it was supposed to, but your sand protected her, and just a scratch knee was what she got… but you were young and scare and thought that was you who had hurt her somehow with your sand" she smile gently. "The next few days, you watch her like a hawk and didn't allow her nowhere near sand or high places"

Gaara was speechless. He always thought that his sand back then when Shukaku was half wiled and he couldn't control him, harm anyone but him. Now knowing that he protect someone at such a young age… was really something.

"Would you like to know about your mother and our adventures?" she asks him, smiling kindly.

The redhead just nods his head, still unable to voice a single sound.

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Chiaki run down the way to Chi-oba-sama, her face heated and she heart racing like crazy. She hasn't been aware of the people in her mother's presence until it was late, and she had entered babbling like ever. It was so embarrassing. She opens the door out of breath of one of the oldest woman of the tribe, who many think of as crazy, but was anything but.

"Chi-oba-sama!" she calls trying to get a grip of her emotions.

"Ara… ara… Chiaki-chan you come back early, why is that?" Chi, an elderly woman with white hair and warm violet eyes look at the young girl from her seat.

The girl moaned mortified and drop in front of the woman feet's nursing her heated face in her hands. She groaned remembering what happened a few minutes ago and told the old lady.

"Now, now Chiaki-chan don't be like that… their probably are good persons and wanted to talk to you… maybe you hurt their feelings by running away from them like that"

The girl just shakes her head and pear between her fingers to the old lady.

"Can I stay here for the night? I promise to go home tomorrow morning and make them breakfast as an apology" her big dark eyes looks at the woman pleadingly. "I just don't know if I can face them right now… am not that strong"

"It's okay, dear… you can stay" she smiles kindly to the other person in the tribe that appreciated her, and didn't believe her to be crazy. "I like having you here… "

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The very next day, at twelve in the afternoon, the shinobis and Yayoi went to the meeting council, to plan the travel and it security with it. Just barely after they have left, Chiaki arrives at the house, seeing no one there she relax, and saw the note of her mother in the kitchen table that asks her to do the lunch, that they were in the meeting with the elders and the chief tribe regarding the travel and that they see each other at the ceremony.

The girl smiles a bit, and went to her room and strip of her clothes, then take a very long shower were she wash her long dark brown hair. After that, she changes into a grey long sleeve shirt, some black shorts and the typical ninja shoes in black. Her hair was a long mess half dry half wet, while she was preparing the food, she unknowingly start humming a song, and then her lips parted and she start singing to herself while dancing around the kitchen beating eggs, she was in her climax of the song when she turn around searching for the fraying pan and her gaze meet a pair of aquamarine eyes in a pale face with red hair.

She was so startled that she drops the bowl and a loud 'epp' escape her mouth, while her face went beet red and she put her hands in front of her heart like trying to keep it in her chest. She closed her eyes hard for a minute and the open them slowly, like expecting him to disappear and be something of her own imagination. She exhale shakily, while he just stood there observing her silently.

"I… I think that now I know how a heart attack feels like… " She mutter shakily to herself, her face went from red to pale for the impression, but Gaara hear her all the same.

"I didn't mean to startle you, I am sorry" Has any of the people that knew him been there, they would have look at him in shock.

The redhead never apologizes to anyone, just once and that was to his siblings when the fight with Naruto happens. But he didn't want to antagonize the girl, and seen how clueless and slightly clumsy she was, not to mention how shy she appear to be, he was making an effort.

"Eh?" she mutters startle again, looking at him with wide eyes. "N-no… it wasn't your fault, I'm hopeless I guess… " She whisper averting her eyes and blushing softly. His gaze was so intense and unblinking that it intimidates her and makes her more nervous.

"You almost drop it" He point out, giving her the bowl that she drop with his sand. He watches her critically, as her eyes if it was possible open wider and her lips form a perfect 'o' shape, her face was painted in wonder and childish fascination, and this make Gaara feel more at ease with her.

Chiaki observe the sand suspend the bowl of eggs in the air and she was totally fascinated by it, but eventually she take it from it and watch in wonder how it disperse and went to the gourd in the guy's back. She got a memory from early childhood of a little boy making the sand dance around her to amuse her when she couldn't sleep at night, and she told him so without thinking it.

"I remember someone who makes the sand dance in the air at night when I couldn't sleep" she mutters quietly, glancing at him curiously. "I remember someone playing with me when I could barely walk straight… but… " She shakes her head, and her expression turn a bit confuse. "I thought that he didn't like me anymore, because one moment he was there and the next I never saw him again… " She bit her lip, and drop her gaze to the floor. "After a time I thought it was just my imagination"

Gaara was now looking at her curiously and in his chest something start to warm toward her. He almost could picture the scene that she was describing, a little boy of five that couldn't sleep because a beast were seal inside him, and a little girl with too much energy to sleep asking him to entertain her until sunrise.

"He was my best friend, and when he went away I was alone, nobody wanted to play with me, because I wasn't one of them, not really… " Her eyes show sadness, lost in her own remembrance.

The red head heart clenched painfully hearing her words. He knew now that what she was telling was true, Yayoi have told him many stories of his mother, and some other of his own with her daughter when they were little and how she became insolated in the tribe because her mother wasn't originally from there… how the others kids, older than her chase her away cause she was a girl and the female populating didn't wanted to associate with a little girl how wanted to play with dirt and mud instead of playing with makeup.

She has been alone like him and Naruto. He was her only friend but the circumstances had not allowed continuing their friendship and in the end make them have a very lonely childhood. But for some reason, Gaara wanted to bond with her again, to lessen her loneliness that even now it still present in her life.

"Ah! Sorry! I tend to get lost in my own thoughts… please don't pay any mind to my babbling" Chiaki put the bowl in the table and turn to him again, biting her lower lip. "How… how should I call you? Oka-sama says that you're a very important person, something called a Kazekage or something like that… " she put her index finger in her chin and looks at the ceiling thinking to herself. "Maybe Kazekage-san?"

"Gaara is ok" was all he said. He didn't want her to call him by his title; somehow it feels wrong to him.

She looks at him with doubt, but now slowly and then smiles a little making eye contact briefly with his wonderful eyes, before saying.

"Gaara-san it is then" when he sigh at the honorific in the end of his name, she smile more broadly. "If is okay to ask… why did you came back here? Did you forget something?" she now was a bit curious.

"No" he shakes his head. "Yayoi-san wanted me to escort you to the place where the ceremony of today is going to happen"

Chiaki's good nature disappear at hearing him said that, and she went a bit pale in the face again. She takes off the apron with shaky hands and put it in the chair next to her, then takes a deep breath and turn to him again, trying to smile but falling miserably.

"Ah… let's go then… the chief doesn't like to wait" her voice was low, but steady.

They went out the house and toward the center of the small village, walking in silence, until the red head spoke.

"Are you afraid?" He inquires watching her by the rim of his eye.

There was silence for a few minutes, and then she shakes her head.

"No" A pause. Then she said. "I'm terrified"

They could speak more because they have arrives at the center of the crowd, and she have to part way with him and go to where the others young people of the tribe were waiting for their own turn. He went to stand beside Yayoi who like her daughter was a bit pale in the face, Naruto and the others were mingled in the crowd and in some roof watching everything and everyone for any threat.

The people stop talking when the chief, a tall man with dark hair and blue eyes stood in the front of the crowd.

"Like the others two times, we are gather here to test and search for the right one amount the young ones this time… let the flow guide us to the chose one in this day" then he motion for an old lady with gray hair and dark amber eyes to step in front, in her hands was an orb no bigger than a little ball, its color was translucent, like glass and in others circumstances it would have been just a pretty item.

"Let the first one pass" the elderly woman said with a strong voice.

And so the ceremony begin, with the sun rapidly hiding behind some cloud even when it was just a bit pass midday, their skyes were almost dark, like if it were to rain any moment now. The rite went like the others before, with no change or glow of the orb, and the people just stood there watching expectantly… until Chiakis' turn came.

The girl was shaking with nerves and a big not in her stomach, she knew something strange was going to happen but she was praying to anyone who could be listen for not be the chosen one. Unfortunate nobody seems to have listen to her prayer, because the moment she touch the orb it start to emanate a white glow and warm through it, and the Chiaki didn't feel, hear, or see anything more, but a searing hot pain shot through her entire body and then everything went blank. Blissfully blank.

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Gaara and Yayoi observe keen the scene, until the turn of the girl arrives, even from that distances the redhead could see her pale face and her shaky hands when she extended her arms to take the orb, the next moment, it start to glow white light and from his right side, Yayoi release a chocked 'no'… then, something more strange and alarming happen, Chiaki who had been until that moment still, let out a bloodcurdling cream as if she were in deep pain and her body collapse to the ground like a dead weight, from her hands the orb went rolling in the dirt.

The next moment Gaara and Sakura were at her side, while Naruto and the others restrained the people to get closer. The pink hair girl used her medical skills to assess the situation, her face show careful control, and then she look at the redhead with a confuse expression.

"She's fallen unconscious, her vital signs are below the normal… but she is breathing… it's like a shock of sort, like when someone used too much chakra very fast the body can't take the sudden loss of energy and it turn down momentary… I never seen this happen before, just in the war against the tree" Sakura inform him.

"Let me through! She is my daughter!" Yayoi exclaim and when Naruto saw Gaara nod he let her pass but keep everyone at bay. "What's wrong with her, Gaara-chan? Is she hurt? Will she'll be okay?" her voice was strong but there was a little tremble in it that either shinobis detect.

"She is well, but need rest and food, and much water" Sakura reassure the poor woman, who took a deep breath and glare at the chief who was demanding to let him pass.

"Could you bring her home, and stay with her while I deal with something?" Yayoi asks the redhead, who nod wordlessly, and she smile to him before standing up and marching to the chief with fury in her eyes.

Gaara took the body of the unconscious girl in his arms, and was a bit startle to know that she barely weighed anything, she feel too light and delicate in his hands, like if he apply too much force he could break her. He turns to give instructions to the others.

"Sakura, you and Sai will go beside one of Narutos' clones with Yayoi-san and see what the chief has in mind with this new development" He turns to the other girl and the blond. "Naruto, Hinata-san please come with me, we would stay with Chiaki in the house and be alert if something more happen"

"Hai!" they all said, and soon enough they were heading to their named destination.

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 **I hope that you all have enjoy it! And Please! Please let me Reviews!**

 **I want to know the public opinion and if this is worth continuing it!**


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